Will Smith may be on a comeback tour right now, but his influence on the culture never really left. Take Bel-Air, Peacock’s serious Fresh Prince remake, which is about to enter its third season. Still, if this one isn't always closely associated with the actor who started it all, it isn't hard to see why; despite telling the exact same story—the main character (played in the new series by Jabari Banks) is still named “Will Smith”—and featuring Smith as an executive producer, the shows are tonally as different as the streets of Philadelphia and the mansions of Bel-Air.It seems like season three will only deepen this divide. The drama is kicking things up a notch for their next outing, complete with a trailer full of champagne on the beach, sexy love triangles, family conflict, and protesters at the gate.This season, Bel-Air is going full High School Musical 2. Will’s aunt and uncle (Cassandra Freeman and Adrian Holmes) encourage him to get a job at the local, extremely ritzy country club. Meanwhile, his basketball skills are suffering. “I left behind basketball. That was my way out the hood,” Will’s father, Lou (Marlon Wayans) admonishes in a tearful monologue. “That was the only good thing in my life, and I see my son making the same damn mistakes as me and there’s nothing I can do about it.” “You always told me I was in control of my own destiny,” Will says later in the trailer.Last season, Fresh Prince original cast member Tatyana Ali turned up for a guest role as one of the new Ashley's (Akira Akbar) teachers. This season, we get Joseph Marcell, who played Geoffrey the butler in the original comedy. “There’s always gonna be a price. That’s on you,” he says ominously as the trailer concludes. The Peacock show also stars Olly Sholotan, Coco Jones, Akira Akbar, and Jordan L. Jones.Bel-Air season three premieres August 15 on Peacock.
